[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 3] [House] [Pages 3847-3851] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]COMMEMORATING ABRAHAM LINCOLN ON THE BICENTENNIAL OF HIS BIRTH Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 139) commemorating the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln on the bicentennial of his birth. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 139 Whereas Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to modest means, in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky; Whereas Abraham Lincoln spent his childhood in Indiana, and, despite having less than a year of formal schooling, developed an avid love of reading and learning; Whereas Abraham Lincoln arrived in Illinois at the age of 21; Whereas, while living in Illinois, Abraham Lincoln met and married his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, built a successful legal practice, served in the State legislature of Illinois, was elected to Congress, and participated in the famous ``Lincoln-Douglas'' debates; Whereas Abraham Lincoln left Illinois 4 months after being elected President of the United States in 1860; Whereas Abraham Lincoln was the first member of the Republican party elected President of the United States and helped build the Republican party into a strong national organization; Whereas, after his election and the secession of the southern States, Abraham Lincoln steered the United States through the most profound moral and political crisis, and the bloodiest war, in the history of the Nation; Whereas, by helping to preserve the Union and by holding a national election, as scheduled, during a civil war, Abraham Lincoln reaffirmed the commitment of the people of the United States to majority rule and democracy; Whereas the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln declared that slaves within the Confederacy would be forever free and welcomed more than 200,000 African-American soldiers and sailors into the Armed Forces of the Union; Whereas the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln fundamentally transformed the Civil War from a battle for political unity to a moral fight for freedom; Whereas the faith Abraham Lincoln had in democracy was strong, even after the bloodiest battle of the war at Gettysburg; [[Page 3848]] Whereas the inspiring words spoken by Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg still resonate today: ``that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth''; Whereas Abraham Lincoln was powerfully committed to unity, turning rivals into allies within his own Cabinet and welcoming the defeated Confederacy back into the Union with characteristic generosity, ``with malice toward none; with charity for all''; Whereas Abraham Lincoln became the first President of the United States to be assassinated, days after giving a speech promoting voting rights for African-Americans; Whereas, through his opposition to slavery, Abraham Lincoln set the United States on a path toward resolving the tension between the ideals of ``liberty and justice for all'' espoused by the Founders of the United States and the ignoble practice of slavery, and redefined what it meant to be a citizen of the United States; Whereas, in his commitment to unity, Abraham Lincoln did more than simply abolish slavery; he ensured that the promise that ``all men are created equal'' was an inheritance to be shared by all people of the United States; Whereas the story of Abraham Lincoln and the example of his life, including his inspiring rise from humble origins to the highest office of the land and his decisive leadership through the most harrowing time in the history of the United States, continues to bring hope and inspiration to millions in the United States and around the world, making him one of the greatest Presidents and humanitarians in history; and Whereas February 12, 2009, marks the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) commemorates the bicentennial of the birth of President Abraham Lincoln; (2) recognizes and echoes the commitment of Abraham Lincoln to what he called the ``unfinished work'' of unity and harmony in the United States; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to recommit to fulfilling the vision of Abraham Lincoln of equal rights for all. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts. General Leave Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts? There was no objection. Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I now yield myself as much time as I may consume. On this exact day 200 years ago, the great Abraham Lincoln was born in a small cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. Therefore, it is with extreme honor and admiration that I stand before the American people today to call up House Resolution 139, which celebrates both the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln which he left behind. House Resolution 139 was introduced by Representative Hare from the Land of Lincoln--the State of Illinois. It is cosponsored by some 63 Members of Congress. I thank the gentleman for introducing the measure which gives us the opportunity to, once again, highlight the accomplishments and greatness of our 16th President. Born into very humble beginnings, Abraham Lincoln was a self-educated man who would rise from his midwestern roots to lead our Nation through its most divisive moments. A fervent believer in the principles of the Declaration of Independence, Abraham Lincoln fought for the rights of all Americans and for the preservation of the Union, the very union that makes us one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. It was in this same spirit that Lincoln wrote in his second inaugural address that it is ``with malice toward none, with charity for all; with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in.'' Madam Speaker, as we tackle our country's economic crisis, let us be reminded of Lincoln's famous words and work together to carry out the people's business in order that we may form a perfect Union. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. It is a personal honor, thrill and privilege to stand in this body at this time and to recognize such an American hero. I rise today to pay honor and tribute to the life of Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President, on the 200th anniversary of his birth. Born in modest circumstances in Hardin County, Kentucky, this great man went on to have a profound effect on the life and times of this Nation for over two centuries. President Lincoln's service to his country began in 1832 when he served with distinction and was elected to the rank of captain in an Illinois militia company in the Black Hawk War. After completing his military service, he was elected to the State legislature in 1834 where he served the citizens of Sangamon County until 1840. In 1846, President Lincoln moved on to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving one term before he decided not to seek reelection and return to the private sector as a lawyer. Spurred by the turmoil that gripped the Nation after the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, Mr. Lincoln decided to reenter the public arena, lending his clarion voice to the causes of liberty. Notably, while addressing the opponents of the repeal of the Missouri Compromise in Peoria, Illinois in July 1854, the then former Congressman Lincoln declared, ``No man is good enough to govern another man without the other's consent.'' Four years later in 1858, Mr. Lincoln continued to be troubled by the practice of slavery, and wrote, ``As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.'' In the following year, in a letter to Massachusetts Representative Henry L. Pierce, Mr. Lincoln wrote: ``Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.'' Abraham Lincoln's views clearly resounded with the American people, and he was elected the President of the United States in 1860 during the national crisis that would ultimately lead to the Civil War in America. Abraham Lincoln's singular vision that the Union must be preserved guided this Nation through some of its darkest days. Reelected in 1864, Mr. Lincoln lived to see the end of the war and the abolishment of slavery. {time} 1430 Sadly, only 6 weeks into his second term, the President was shot and killed at Ford's Theater. Two hundred years after he was born, this humble man of great courage and conviction continues to be one of our country's most beloved statesmen. To this very day, he continues to symbolize through his writings and deeds the promises of liberty, equality, and humility first put forth in our founding declaration. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, at this time I'd like to recognize the gentleman who is the lead sponsor of this resolution, the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare), for 5 minutes. Mr. HARE. I thank my friend for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 139, commemorating the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln on the bicentennial of his birth. As a Member who proudly represents west central Illinois--the Land of Lincoln--I was honored to introduce this resolution. My congressional district includes Decatur where Abraham Lincoln found his political voice at the young age of 21. Illinois' 17th District is also home to three sites of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates that carried the future President to national prominence. Not far is the town of Springfield, Illinois, which Lincoln himself said, ``To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything.'' Today, February 12, 2009, marks the 200th anniversary of President Lincoln's birth and provides the entire country an opportunity to reflect on the life and the contributions of this great man. [[Page 3849]] Madam Speaker, at a time of great division, President Lincoln played a central role in our Nation's history. His mission to preserve the Union ultimately resulted in the abolition of slavery. On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared forever free southern slaves. Still today, two centuries after his birth, President Lincoln's leadership continues to serve as an example and an inspiration to people all over the world. I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on House Resolution 139 and join me in celebrating Illinois' favorite son. I would also like to thank Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer for working with me to craft this legislation, and acknowledge Senator Richard Durbin, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and other members of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission for their efforts to ensure the legacy of Lincoln's service and sacrifice is honored and will never be forgotten. Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I have no other speakers at the moment, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I urge that all Members join us in supporting the underlying resolution. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H. Res. 139. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 139 ``Commemorating the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln on the bicentennial of his birth.'' Madam Speaker, this resolution recognizes the 200th anniversary and the accomplishments of the 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln. The great state of Illinois has contributed immensely to the progression of America. Illinois has produced three African American Senators; Carol Mosely Braun, now President Barack Obama, and Roland Burris, which is more than any other state. It is the achievements of perhaps Illinois' greatest son, Abraham Lincoln, which can be credited for this feat. He was a true champion of liberty for all Americans, and he led the Nation during very turbulent political times from the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was portrayed as a self-made man, the liberator of the slaves, and the savior of the Union who had given his life so that others could be free. President Lincoln became Father Abraham, a near mythological hero, ``lawgiver'' to African Americans, and a ``Masterpiece of God'' sent to save the Union. His humor was presented as an example of his humanity; his numerous pardons demonstrated his ``great soul''; and his sorrowful demeanor reflected the burdens of his lonely journey as the leader of a ``blundering and sinful'' people. Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, two uneducated farmers, in a one-room log cabin on the 348-acre Sinking Spring Farm, in southeast Hardin County, Kentucky. Lincoln began his political career in 1832, at age 23, with an unsuccessful campaign for the Illinois General Assembly, as a member of the Whig Party. Lincoln was a true opponent of injustice. In 1837, he made his first protest against slavery in the Illinois House, stating that the institution was ``founded on both injustice and bad policy.'' Opposed to the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act, Lincoln spoke to a crowd in Peoria, Illinois, on October 16, 1854, outlining the moral, political and economic arguments against slavery that he would continue to uphold throughout his career. His ``Western'' origins also appealed to the newer states: other contenders, especially those with more governmental experience, had acquired enemies within the party and were weak in the critical western states, while Lincoln was perceived as a moderate who could win the West. On November 6, 1860, Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the United States. In his First Inaugural Address, Lincoln declared, ``I hold that in contemplation of universal law and of the Constitution the Union of these States is perpetual. Perpetuity is implied, if not expressed, in the fundamental law of all national governments,'' arguing further that the purpose of the United States Constitution was ``to form a more perfect union.'' Lincoln possessed a keen understanding of strategic points and understood the importance of defeating the enemy's army, rather than simply capturing cities. He had, however, limited success in motivating his commanders to adopt his strategies until late 1863, when he found a man who shared his vision of the war in Ulysses S. Grant. Only then could he insist on using African American troops and relentlessly pursue a series of coordinated offensives in multiple theaters. Throughout the war, Lincoln showed a keen curiosity with the military campaigns. He spent hours at the War Department telegraph office, reading dispatches from his generals. He visited battle sites frequently, and seemed fascinated by scenes of war. The Emancipation Proclamation, freed slaves in territories not already under Union control. Lincoln later said: ``I never, in my life, felt more certain that I was doing right, than I do in signing this paper.'' As the war was drawing to a close, Lincoln became the first American President to be assassinated. On April 14, 1865. As a lone bodyguard wandered, and Lincoln sat in his state box, John Wilkes Booth crept up behind the President and fired a single fatal shot into the President. However, his triumphs live on far past this date. In 1982, forty-nine historians and political scientists were asked by the Chicago Tribune to rate all the Presidents through Jimmy Carter in five categories: leadership qualities, accomplishments/crisis management, political skills, appointments, and character/integrity. At the top of the list stood Abraham Lincoln. The judgment of historians and the public tells us that Abraham Lincoln was the nation's greatest President by every measure applied. Because he was committed to preserving the Union and thus vindicating democracy no matter what the consequences to himself, the Union was indeed saved. Because he understood that ending slavery required patience, careful timing, shrewd calculations, and an iron resolve, slavery was indeed killed. Lincoln managed in the process of saving the Union and killing slavery to define the creation of a more perfect Union in terms of liberty and economic equality that rallied the citizenry behind him. Because he understood that victory in both great causes depended upon purposeful and visionary presidential leadership as well as the exercise of politically acceptable means, he left as his legacy a United States that was both whole and free. His great achievement, historians tell us, was his ability to energize and mobilize the nation by appealing to its best ideals while acting ``with malice towards none'' in the pursuit of a more perfect, more just, and more enduring Union. Madam Speaker, President Lincoln has paved the way for people of color such as myself to serve in Congress and represent the people of the 18th District of Texas proudly. He has been a trailblazer, opening the door for our first African American President, President Barack Obama. Today we celebrate the life of President Abraham Lincoln. He has given America many victories. Importantly, his presidency opened the door to ensure that all Americans would be assured their constitutional freedoms and that all Americans would enjoy the triumph against oppression and injustice. President Lincoln has lit the candle, let us today continue to carry it and make sure that it will never go out. I thank my colleague, Representative Phil Hare, of Illinois, for introducing this important legislation, to ensure that we celebrate, treasure and recognize the impact of President Abraham Lincoln as a national treasure and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution. Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to add my voice in celebration of today's Lincoln Bicentennial. In Illinois--the Land of Lincoln--we always cherish our 16th President, taking pride in a man who steered this nation through turbulent times and whose legacy continues to guide us today. Today we all join in recognizing his greatness. There have been many, many books written about President Lincoln, detailing his remarkable life and his towering achievements. I want to encourage my colleagues to explore one of those books, Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America. Written by Garry Wills, my constituent and a professor at Northwestern University, this Pulitzer Prize-winning analysis underscores why the Gettysburg Address remains the most well-known speech in American history. President Lincoln spoke on the battlefield where 50,000 Americans were killed or wounded. He certainly didn't realize that the words in his short oration would be recited by schoolchildren across the nation. He said that ``the world will little note nor long remember what we say here.'' In this instance, he was wrong. President Lincoln didn't just speak in memory of those who had fought and died in the battle. He used his oration to instruct, inspire and set a vision for our nation's future. He asked those who were present at Gettysburg [[Page 3850]] and those of us who today study his words to remember the very ideals on which our nation was founded. He began by asking us to recall that our nation was ``conceived in Liberty'' and equality. As Professor Wills writes, Lincoln was able to achieve the loftiness, ideality, and brevity of the Gettysburg Address because he had spent a good part of the 1850s repeatedly relating all the most sensitive issues of the day to the Declaration's supreme principle. If all men are created equal, they cannot be property. They cannot by ruled by owner-monarchs . . . Their equality cannot be denied if the nation is to live by its creed, and voice it, and test it, and die for it . . . a nation free to proclaim its ideal is freed, again, to approximate that ideal over the years, in ways that run far beyond any specific or limited reforms . . . The theme of liberty and equality runs through the Gettysburg Address, just as it ran through the entire life of President Lincoln. His very life was a symbol of our country--a boy of humble beginnings who through hard work and his own talents was able not just to become President of the United States but to become a symbol of democracy across the generations and across the globe. Because of his confidence in the ideals and potential of America, he was able to give a speech of hope at a time of unprecedented crisis in our country. The Gettysburg Address ends with a clarion call for ``a new birth of freedom.'' His faith in our country--in a ``government of the people, by the people, and for the people''--continues to inspire us in the United States and proponents of participatory democracy across the globe. President Lincoln is recognized for what he did for our country--not just his actions but also his words. As Professor Wills says, ``Words were weapons for him, even though he meant them to be weapons of peace in the midst of war.'' He continues, Lincoln does not argue law or history, as Daniel Webster did. He makes history. He does not come to present a theory, but to impose a symbol, one tested in experience and appealing to national values, with an emotional urgency entirely expressed in calm abstractions (fire in ice). He came to change the world, to effect an intellectual revolution. No other words could have done it. The miracle is that these words did. In his brief time before the crowd at Gettysburg he wove a spell that has not, yet, been broken--he called up a new nation out of the blood and trauma. As we celebrate the Lincoln Bicentennial, our nation is faced with serious economic and global challenges; and President Lincoln's words still guide us today. He understood that the core of our nation is our commitment to liberty and equality--not just under the law but in the opportunity for every individual to achieve and prosper. He reminded us that our government must recognize its responsibility to the public good and encourage public participation and investment in that government. In these trying times, we are fortunate to have another President who has the ability to inspire, to lead and to act to bring us out of crisis. Like President Lincoln, President Obama's life is a model of not just what an individual can achieve given the opportunity to succeed but what our nation can accomplish when we remember our founding values of liberty and equality. Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 139, a resolution to commemorate the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln on the bicentennial of his birth. As we celebrate the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth, we are reminded of Lincoln's commitment to the unity, and harmony of all people and our nation. Abraham Lincoln, born on February 12, 1809, in Kentucky, was a man of humble beginnings. He was primarily self-educated, teaching himself to read and write by candlelight, and possessed an avid thirst for knowledge. Mr. Lincoln began his political career at the age of 23, running unsuccessfully for the Illinois State Legislature. He won his first election in 1834 to that same body and began a public service career characterized by his dedication to fairness and justice and his keen political mind. Mr. Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the United States during a tumultuous time in our nation's history. With the outbreak of the Civil War eminent, President Lincoln led our country through its bloodiest and most profound moral crisis. He felt the reason behind southern succession was contrary to democratic ideals and remained steadfast in his commitment to preserving our founding fathers fundamental principles as defined in the Constitution. Once the end of the Civil War was in sight, President Lincoln was accommodating and generous in his plans for peace, encouraging Southerner's to join in a speedy reunion. Abraham Lincoln was a man of sincere integrity and virtue who will always be remembered for his commitment to the principles of freedom, democracy and union. With incredible leadership and courage, President Lincoln exemplified the American experience and became its archetype-- that anyone, no matter their background, can accomplish great things in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Illinois is proud to be known as the Land of Lincoln and we cherish the legacy he has left us. Madam Speaker, as a cosponsor of the bill, I urge my colleagues' support. Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, Abraham Lincoln was our nation's sixteenth President, and its greatest. His vision and courage in our nation's darkest, most perilous moments were instrumental in unifying a fractured nation, and preserving its precious founding principles. On this--what would have been his 200th birthday--we pause to remember Lincoln the Statesman, and as is befitting of such times, there will be many things said. There will be many aspects of Lincoln's legacy that will be remembered, many traits of Lincoln that will be exalted and many deeds of Lincoln admired. While there are many who would lay claim to the mantle of Lincoln, I believe that an honest appraisal of Lincoln's legacy lays bare two critical distinctions of the Great Emancipator. First, he was a Hoosier; secondly, he was a conservative. Lincoln, though born in the heart of Kentucky, spent his formative years in southern Indiana. The Lincolns moved to Spencer County, Indiana when young Abe was 7 and for the next 14 years, lived in the Hoosier State. It was during this time as a Hoosier of humble circumstance, living in a log cabin on 160 acres near Little Pigeon Creek, that Lincoln developed his voracious appetite for reading and learning, once walking 20 miles to borrow a book. He also learned the power and promise of the free market as a young entrepreneur. He crafted his own boat and started his own ferry service to and from the Ohio River. On one occasion, when two patrons each tossed him a silver half-dollar, Lincoln noted, ``It was a most important incident in my life. The world seemed wider and fairer before me; I was a more hopeful and thoughtful boy from that time.'' Indeed, from then on, he was a staunch advocate for the free market and the equality of opportunity. He also cultivated a real affinity for the ideas of the Founding Fathers as enshrined in the Declaration of Independence--natural rights, economic freedom and equality under the law. It was this commitment to the ``first principles'' of our nation that served as the fulcrum of Lincoln's leadership during his most heroic--and ultimately heralded-moments. When others looked forward at an unknowable and uncertain future, Lincoln looked back--he looked back to what sustained this nation through the birth pains of its Founding--and it was in this act of looking back that Lincoln serves as a model of true conservatism. In 1859, in a speech given in Columbus, Ohio, Lincoln asserted that the ``chief and real purpose of the Republican party is eminently conservative'' and that the party's sole aim should be to ``restore this government to its original tone . . . and thereto maintain it, looking for no further change than that which the original framers of the government themselves expected and looked forward to.'' More to the point, to the question ``what is conservatism?'' Lincoln succinctly answered, ``Is it not the adherence to the old and the tried, against the new and the untried?'' Surely there are those who would do well to heed those words in these times. It has been said in many ways and many places before, and it bears repeating, that the promise that all men are created equal--as written in the Declaration of the Independence--and the incredible potential that is inherent in the notion of equality under law--as established in the Constitution--are both realized in the person and Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln himself said that he ``never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence.'' As the Indianapolis Star noted today, ``An old Indiana farm boy still has many lessons to teach America.'' I close with the words of Lincoln that ring as true today as they did when they were first spoken nearly two centuries ago: ``Our republican robe is soiled, and trailed in the dust. Let us repurify it. Let us re-adopt the Declaration of Independence, and with it, the practices and policy, which harmonize with it. Let north and south--let all Americans--let all lovers of liberty everywhere--join in the great and good work. If we do this, we shall not only have saved the Union; but we shall have so saved it, as to make, and to keep it, forever worthy of the saving. We shall have so saved [[Page 3851]] it, that the succeeding millions of free happy people, the world over, shall rise up, and call us blessed, to the latest generation.'' Mr. HENSARLING. Madam Speaker, it is with profound admiration and respect that I commemorate the 200th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's birth. From humble beginnings in a one room log cabin in the backwoods of Kentucky, Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer, went on to win a narrow victory in 1860 to become our 16th president. Not long after he took office, our country was plunged into a war between the states that threatened to destroy everything our Founding Fathers had fought so hard to establish. As the war raged, Lincoln led the Union through the maelstrom to save our Republic. At the same time, he paved the way to freedom for millions who had never known it. Sadly, an assassin's bullet stole Lincoln from his people just days after the Civil War ended. Madam Speaker, as we commemorate his 200th birthday, I reflect upon the life of President Lincoln and the sacrifices he made to protect the principles of freedom we cherish so deeply. A man of great wisdom and courage who guided our country through some of its darkest hours, President Lincoln embodies the true meaning of what it is to be an American. While, in the words of Secretary of War Edwin M. Staunton, Lincoln ``belongs to the ages,'' he lives in the hearts of freedom loving people in the United States and around the world. Mr. CHAFFETZ. I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 139. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________